I am in the Midi Pyrenees for some downtime in preparation for writing a new body of work. Castelsagrat is a small rustic town. I am staying in a large stone house covered in geckos bathing in 36 degree heat, ducking into crevices as I walk by. Rose scent fills the air, gypsies hang outside [...]

In Malaysia and Singapore I felt like a fish out of water. The predominant music interest in Malaysia and Singapore is pop/ club/ techno. While riding in taxis, whilst eating roti at the mamuk stall at 8am…. Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Chris Brown reign supreme on TV screens, in malls, covered by bands who headlined [...]

Yougendo Guesthouse in Oji was a bit like the Mussel Inn, relaxed garden bar, gorgeous building and guestrooms. Oji is a very small town a bit like Invercargill or Temuka. I was welcomed to the kawai 100 year old converted guesthouse that I would play and stay in for the next two nights. In the [...]

I was right to be looking forward to the shows in Japan that I arranged through friends and through random web searches. I had a lot of fun in Fukuoka with the First of December duo and some new friends who made the effort to come to the show from further afield in Kyushu, including [...]

I thought I’d take the opportunity while on the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka to begin my blog. I am increasingly self-conscious… so many tsk tsks and huff puffs when faced with my oversized odd-shaped luggage in rush hour that when a middle aged woman smiled at me a moment ago I got a complete [...]